Geoege matthews



8; MATTHEWS PROCESS OF ORNAMENTING METAL.

(No Model.)

Patente d Jan. 177, 1888.

@lT/VESSES:

ATTORNEYS N. PETERS Plwwuum n nur. Walhiuglum D.c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC GEORGE MATTHEWS, or NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM or JOHN MATTHEWS, or SAME PLACE.

PROCESS OF IORNAMENTING METAL.

QPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 376,605, dated January 17, 1888. Application filed February 5, 1887. Serial No. 226,662. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE \MATTHEWS, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improved Process for Ornamenting Metal, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which is a viewof a plaque embodying my invention.

The processis applicable to any metallic surface, such, for instance, as panels and plaques havingdesigns in relief of the human figure, animals, drapery, &c., the panels or plaques being stamped up by dies or produced by the well-known electro-depositing processes, or otherwise, or to figures-such as statuettes, &c.-upon which surface it is desired to produce more than one color or tint. A in the accompanying drawing is a plaque the surface of which has been made perfectly clean by dipping in an acid bath. It is hung for a few minutes in an ordinary electrosilverplating bath until a thin film of silver or other metal has been deposited over it. The part of this film which is desired to be of the deepest color--such as flesh, B, tor instance-is then painted with a varnish of asphaltum, or any material that will resist the action of a new bath and act as a non-conductor when dry. The plaque is again immersed in a bath of silver or other metal until an additional but still very thin film is deposited on all parts not protected by the varnish. The part of the design desired to receive a lighter tint, C, than the tint B is then painted with varnish, as before mentioned, and dried. The plaque is again immersed in-a bath of suitable metal,

&c., and the parts are painted with varnish to produce different tints as many times as there may be tints to be brought out. The last immersion deposits silver or other metal on all part-s of the plaque still remaining unprotected by varnish. The plaque may now be fiooded with a solution of sulphur to oxidize the unprotectedmetal surface, or the unprotected surface may be tinted by any of the well-known processes for coloring bronze work. All the varnish is now removed by turpentine or otherwise and the plaque made perfectly clean. The plaque is now subjected to the action of a sand-blast, which, by removing part of each film, gives the surfaces a beautifully matted appearance, and brings out the tints of the various films of metal until the desired shades are obtained. In other words, the film as originally deposited, being of sub stantially equal thickness, has that thickness made unequal by the sandblast, so that in part it may blend with the color beneath and in part show more or less of its own color.

The part of the design having the least silver coating will be found a delicate'pink color if the plaque is of copper, which will become a deeper red the longer it is subjected to the sand-blast, until the film of silver can be entirely blasted away, if desired, the shades depending upon the relative thickness of the films of silver. The background, or the part not having been covered with this varnish,will be of a delicate-gray tint, fading ofi into a pure white if the sand-blast is long continued.

I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details herein described, as the results obtained canalso be produced in ways differing slightly fromthe above. For instance, the plaque can be first coated with a film of silver of uniform thickness and portions subsequently reduced in thickness by rubbing with saud or pumice until the different tints are obtained in the desired places. The oxidizing, bronzing, or other coloring of the background is not essential; nor is the process limited to the deposits of silver on copper, as good effects can be produced by the combination of any two or more metals-such, for instance, as deposits of silver, copper, or gold could be made in varying thicknesses on brass or other metallicplaques.

'I prefer to inclose these metal plates or plaques hermetically, to keep their delicate surface from the oxidizing action of the air.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is 1. The process herein described of ornamenting metallic articles, which consists in depositing upon parts of a metal design a film of metal differing in color and then subjecting the whole to the sand-blast, as set forth.

2. The process of ornainenting metallic articles which consists in depositing a series of films of metal upon metallic surfaces in varying thicknesses and then subjecting the article every two applications of metallic film, then to the action of the sand-blast, substantially as coloring the same, and subjecting it to the ac- [0 described. tion of a sand-blast, substantially as described.

3. The herein-described process of orna- T 5 menting metallic articles, which consists in GEORGE MATTHE depositing a series of films of metal upon me- \Vitnesses: tallic plate and in covering a portion of the CLEMENT E. KEZANDIE, surface of said plate with varnish between CHARLES G. M. THOMAS. 

